(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to mailbox accessories, and more particularly, to a mailbox accessory for decorating a mailbox.
(2) Description of the Background
Mailboxes are the common mechanism used by homeowners to receive mail. Generally they consist of the mailbox itself attached to a mailbox post. Together they are produced in many standard shapes and sizes that conform to postal office regulations. Mailboxes usually stand at the forefront of a home, accessible to the deliverer of mail but also visible to passersby. Mailboxes are thus a prominent extension of the personality of the home and homeowner and present a decorative opportunity to the homeowner.
Some patents have been issued in the art of mailbox decoration:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,984,172, entitled “Freestanding Mailbox Cover”, issued to Rodney T. Easterwood on Nov. 16, 1999, discloses an ornamental and protective cover for a freestanding mailbox which includes a sheet presenting a pair of opposed sides, a front panel presenting a passage for mail to be inserted into the mailbox, and a rear panel, the front and rear panels being connected to and interconnecting the sides. The sides and front and rear panels preferably extend downwardly a common length to their respective bottom margins to enclose a region therein. The cover may be provided with decorative and informative indicia. Moreover, the cover, which is preferably of flexible synthetic resin material, may be opaque, transparent or translucent, with cut out openings and windows of transparent material provided over the openings. A light fixture or audio source may be provided within the enclosed region. The cover may be retained in position over the freestanding mailbox by weights attached adjacent the bottom margin or the use of a drawstring to pull the bottom margin of the sides of the cover together.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,000,379, entitled “Mail Box Cover”, issued to Benjamin R. LaRue on Mar. 19, 1991, discloses a rectangular paper or plastic film sheet that has a pressure sensitive backing for sticking onto the curved top and sides of a regulation mailbox. The front face is imprinted with decorative graphics arranged to be seen from both sides. Below each graphic is imprinted an elongate address bar for receiving stick-on letters and numbers supplied in a color contrasting with the address bar for enhanced visibility. Partially cut through portions of the cover may be torn away to admit the indicating flag. The system is adapted for application without tools or special skills and enough letters and numbers are provided for identification of the mailbox as recommended by postal authorities.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,813,595, entitled “Mailbox for Receiving Decorative Overlays”, issued to Benjamin I. Johns, et. al., on Mar. 21, 1989, discloses a mailbox which comprises a housing having flanges located at the bottom, outside periphery thereof and defining holding grooves for peripheral edges of a decorative overlay. Sides of the housing have holes therein which align with corresponding holes of the decorative overlay when the peripheral edges are inserted into the grooves. The decorative overlay is attached to the mailbox by inserting removable fasteners into the aligned holes, thus allowing the overlay to be readily attached to and removed from the housing.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,296,180, entitled “Postal Box Covering”, issued to Clarence E. Blizzard on Oct. 2, 2001, discloses a postal box covering for protecting a postal box from the elements of weather. The postal box covering includes a plurality of elongate members. Each of the elongate members has a longitudinal axis. Each of the elongate members has a first side, a second side, a third side, a fourth side, a first end and a second end. The elongate members are generally oriented parallel to each other. The elongate members are between a first and a second elongate member. A plurality of straps bind the elongate members together. Each of the straps is adjacent to each of the second sides of the elongate members. A plurality of fastening devices fasten the straps to the elongate members. A plurality of mountings are fixedly coupled to the first and second elongate members. A plurality of brackets have a base portion and two arm members extending therefrom. The arm members are oriented generally parallel to each other and are spaced. One of the arm members is releasably coupled to each of the mountings.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,308,884, entitled “Device and Method for Suspending a Flag Display from a Mailbox”, issued to Robert Hamburger, on Oct. 30, 2001, discloses a system and method of attaching a flag display to a mailbox in a manner that enables the flag display to hang below the mailbox. The system includes a flag display that has a length equivalent to the sum of the combined lengths of the two sides of the mailbox and the front of the mailbox. The top edge of the flag display attaches to the exterior of the mailbox, near its base. The flag display attaches to the mailbox using hook and loop material or some other equivalent fastening means. The flag display hangs down from the base of the mailbox while maintaining the generally rectangular configuration of the mailbox base. At the bottom of the flag display, the flag display is either weighted or anchored to the mailbox post.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,495,741, entitled “Advertising Mail-box Support”, issued to Elijah L. Higdon, Jr., on May 27, 1924, discloses an advertising frame support for rural mail boxes which can be cheaply constructed; which will afford a firm and satisfactory mounting for the mail box; and which comprises a frame work preferably formed of light structural iron and containing an advertising panel adapted to form a brace for the light frame which is disposed at right angles to the road to display both sides of the panel to the road.
While these patents teach the concept of covers with decoration for mailboxes, they do not teach a housing mechanism for placing decorative objects within the cover structure so that decorative objects are visibly displayed.
Thus there remains a need for an invention that decorates a mailbox while providing a housing mechanism for visibly displaying decorative objects. The invention should be inexpensive and easy for the mailbox owner to assemble. The present invention addresses these needs by enclosing the mailbox with a structure having an opening in which to place decorative objects.